Philosophy
The Aesthetics of the Sublime: Burke and Kant
Quick fact
Edmund Burke believed that the sublime was rooted in terror and self-preservation, while Immanuel Kant argued it arises from reason's ability to comprehend infinite magnitude.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever stood before a thunderstorm or a vast mountain range and felt both terrified and exhilarated? That strange mix of fear and awe is the sublime—and it has fascinated philosophers for centuries.